Loose leaf binder



.March 5, 1963 J. PoTTs ET AL 3,080,562

y LOOSE LEAF BINDER Filed oct. e, 1958 2 sheets-sheet 1 March 5, 1963 J. POT-rs Erm. 3,080,562

LOOSE LEAF BINDER Filed Oct. 6, 1958 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 3,080,562 LSE LEAF RENDRE lohn Potts and Eremeldo Cairelli, Chicago, lil., assignors to Wilson-mes Company, Chicago, Ill., a corporation of Massachusetts Filed Oct. 6, 1958, Ser. No. 765,349 6 Ciaims. (Cl. 129-41) This invention relates to a loose leaf binder, and is particularly concerned with a post binder having a top post retaining member adapted to hold and conceal the upper ends of flexible sheet retaining posts, and having a bottom pos-t retaining member shaped to prevent the lower ends of the sheet retaining posts from scratching or marring a desk or other finished surface upon which the binder may be used.

The loose leaf binder of the present invention comprises top and bottom post retaining members each having integral hinge lugs along one longitudinal edge, and top and bottom covers hinged thereto. The top and bottom post retaining members have vertically aligned apertures to receive flexible sheet retaining posts. Each post has an enlarged head on one end which is positioned adjacent the lower surface of the bottom post retaining member. The posts extend upwardly through the apertures of the bottom post retaining member to receive the sheets to be held in the binder. The lower surface of the bottom post retaining member is concavely curved in the transverse direction to provide clearance for the heads of the posts to prevent them from coming into contact with the surface on which the binder is handled.

The top sheet retaining member rests on the sheets impaled on the posts, and the upper ends of the posts, which project through the apertures of the top post retaining member, are bent over into a recess in the upper surface of the top member. The length of the recess is coincident with the length of the top member. The depth of the recess is slightly greater than the diameter of the sheet retaining post, so that the position of the post adjacent the aperture of the top member, where the post is bent at approximately a right angle, may be retained Within the recess. The recess is sumciently wide to receive four sheet retaining posts in side by side relationship.

Each longitudinal edge of the recess in the top member is provided with a lateral groove of the same length as the recess. The cover plate for retaining the bent upper ends of the sheet retaining posts is provided with a lateral flange on each longitudinal edge. The lateral anges of the cover plate fit in the lateral grooves of the recess to permit the cover plate to slide longitudinally of the recess. The binder may have two cover plates each approximately equal to one half the length of the binding edge of the binder, or it may have a substantially fixed center section and two slidable cover plates at opposite ends of the center section.

in either embodiment the top cover plates provide a neat, attractive appearance for the top of the binder. The esthetic appeal of the bottom member is enhanced by curving the upper surface symmetrically with respect to the lower surface thereof. The symmetrical contiguration of the bottom member also enables it to be reversed, so that the sheet retaining posts may be inserted through the apertures of the bottom member in either direction. lnterengaging stop members are provided adjacent each end of the longitudinalrecess in the top member, and at inner end of each cover plate, to prevent complete separation of either cover plate from the top member.

lt is an object of this inventionto provide simple and efficient means for holding both ends of a plurality of 'flexible sheet retaining posts tightly against the top and wenn@ raies-ted Mar. s, 1953 bottom members of a binder so that sheets mounted on said posts may be securely retained in the binder.

It is a further object of the invention to provide the top member of a binder with a longitudinal recess adapted to receive a plurality of sheet retaining posts, and a to-p cover plate slidable over said recess to hold said posts against accidental displacement from said recess.

lt is a further object of the invention to provide a re cess in the top post retaining member of a binder with a slid-ing cover plate substantially ush with the upper surface of said post retaining member.

The structure by means of which the above mentioned and other advantages of the invention are attained will be described in detail in the following specification, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. l is a perspective view of a loose leaf binder embodying the invention;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary perspective view of the top and bottom post retaining members showing a sheet retaining post in place, but with the top cover plate removed, to facilitate illustration of the top post retaining member;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary perspective view of the top cover plate adapted to hold the upper ends of the flexible sheet retaining posts;

FiG. 4 is a fragmentary top plan View of the binder, with the top cover plate removed to show the disposition of the flexible sheet retaining posts in the upper member;

FIG. 5 is a cross sectional view, taken substantially along the line 5 5 of FIG. 4, but showing the top cover plate in place;

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary perspective View of the top post retaining member, showing the top cover plate holding the bent end of a flexible sheet retaining post;

FIG. 7 is a detailed perspective view of the top cover plate in inverted position to show the stop member;

FIG. 8 is a cross sectional view, taken along the line S-S of FIG. 1;

FIG. 9 is a fragmentary perspective view of the top of a loose leaf binder, showing another embodiment of the invention;

FIG. l0 is a fragmentary top plan view of the top of the binder shown in FIG. 9, with the top cover plates removed to facilitate illustration of the top post retaining member; and

FIG. 1l is a fragmentary cross sectional View, taken along the line lli-11 of FIG. 10.

in the drawings, a bottom post retaining member 2, which is preferably extruded of any suitable plastic material, is provided with a transverse concave curve -3 on its upper face and a symmetrical concave curve 4 on its bottom face. The concave portions 3 and 4 merge into an outer edge portion 5 of increased thickness and a similar portion 6 of increased thickness spaced outwardly from the inner longitudinal edge portion 7 of the bottom member. Integral hinge lugs 8 extend outwardly from the longitudinal edge portion 7 to receive a hinge pin, by means of which a bottom cover 9 is hinged to the bottom post retaining member 2. A plurality of eyelets ,1d extend through apertures in the central portion of the bottom post retaining member.

Flexible sheet retaining posts 11, preferably nylon, are inserted through eyelets 1t). Each post has an integral enlarged head 12 at its bottom to prevent the post from being pulled entirely through the eyelet. The thick portions S and 6 of the bottom post retaining member proj'- ect below the bottom surface of the enlarged heads 12 ,of the sheet retaining posts, thereby protecting any sur- Aface upon which the binder may be placed from coming Yinto contact with any of the enlarged heads 12.

The top post retaining member 13 is also preferably extruded f any Suitable. plastic material, and, has. integral. hingelugs ld'lprojecting from its inner longitudinal edge portion 15. A top cover 16. is hinged to post retaining member 13 in the same manner `as the bottom cover 9 is hinged to'bottoxn postv retaining member 2. A longi. tudinal recess 17 is centrally disposed along the entire length of top post retaining member 13, and each edge of the recess 17 has a lateral groove 18 or 1,9 extending along the entire length of the recess. The grooves 18 and 19 are each positioned about midway of the depth of groove 17. Aneyelet 20 extends through an aperture in the center portion of groove 17 in vertical alignment with eachV eyelet 10, so that sheet retaining posts 11 extending through eyelet i may also passthrough the eyelet 20.

A plate 21 positioned in the recess 1'7 adjacent each end thereof, is secured in place on the bottom of the recess by the outermost eyelet 18. Eachk plate 21 has a permanent stop member in the form ofl an upturnedlip22 on its edge closest to the outer'edge. of the top post retaining member 13. Each off the upstanding lips 22 extends almost, but not quite tothe upper surface of the top post retaining member 13. The stop members 22 are outside the outermost eyelets 20, and therefore do not interfere with the flexible sheet retaining posts 11, which are bent inwardly at right angles vto extend in the recess 17 between the outermost eyelets 20.v As shown in FIG. 4, the width of the recess 17 is sufficient to permit the bent over upper` end of one sheet retaining post`11V to extend past thesheet retainingpost extending through an eyelet 20 spaced inwardly thereof, Without interfering with the longitudinaldispositionof thevfsecondpost. This permits `the use of fourA sheet retaining posts-in theV binder. If two posts extending from the opposite endfof the binder overlap the ends ofthe posts'- shown in FIG. 4, all four overlapping post ends may "be disposedv longitudinally in therecess 17 in Vside bysiderelationship.

Two top coverA plates 23, eachhaving a length equal to one halfthelength of topposn retaining member 13, are provided forothe binderwin FIGS. 1- to 8. Since these top cover plates are identical, only one will be described; Thetcover plate 23compri ses. a flattop wall 24'having a-widthfequalzto.the-widthof the upper-"portion of recess 17, and a pair of depending perpendicular side walls 25 each terminating in alateral.flange 26. Flanges 26 are adapted to t'slidablyiinfthe lateralA grooves 18V and 19. Thelsiderwalls 25 are so dimensioned, thatl when the anges 26 are positioned in the grooves 18 and 19, the top wall24 is substantially ilush with-the upper surface of top post retaining member 13, The top cover plate also has an end wall 27 andadownturned -lip 28. The lip 28 extends across lthe entirewidth o f the cover plate and serves asa fingerpull to 'facilitate sliding movement of the top cover plate relative to the.recess 7;

As shown in FIG. 7; a tab` 29 at the inner end of top wall 24 is bent inwardly against the underside of the top wall to provide a shoulder Sil-.spaced a short distance from theend of thetop-walL The sheet retaining posts cannotbe bent precisely atright angles, and therefore the recess 17 has a greater-depth than the diameter of the post, as shown ina-FIG. 8. Tlhisclearance also enables the end 2-9 of the top-cover plate 23 to slide over the sheet retainingrposts. The resilience of the sheet retaining posts causes them to exert sullcient frictional force against the underside of top wall 24 to hold the top cover plate 23 in placeV and prevent it from sliding too freely. When the top cover plate 23 is pulledoutwardly arenough to release the` outermost-.sheet retaining post 1.1,:l the shoulder 30 engagesstop` member Z2 to prevent removalof the top cover platefrom the recess 17. When the'v top cover plates are slidY to their outermost positions, all of the sheet retaining posts-may extend vertically, and sheets 3.1 maybeimpaled onthe posts or removed '.:therefrom 'lfhe embodiment of FIGS. 9 to 11 is essentially the same as the embodiment hereinabove described, except that the top cover plates arearranged differently. Identical parts will be indiacted by the same reference nue merals. An intermediate top cover plate 32 is positioned. intermediate the length of the recess 17, and is held inv substantially fixed position by a leaf spring 33 riveted to the bottom of recess 17, as indicated at 34. The leaf lspring 33 exerts sufcient tfrictional.v force against the underside of cover plate 32 to prevent accidental displacement thereof. The top cover plate 32 comprises a top wall, two side Walls and two lateral flanges, all ofwhich are identical toA the corresponding structure of. cover plates 23.

The length of top cover pla-te 32 must be less than the distance between the two innermost. sheet retaining posts 11 Th@` cover plate 32 is disposed. intermediate the length of recessv 17, and` thel two outer portions of the recess are each provided with a slidable; top cover plate 23. The binder in FIGS. 9 to ll is provided with only two sheet retaining posts 11, but it will be obvious that either-embodiment of the` binder may haveas many posts asdesired.

Although we have describedA two preferred embodi ments of the invention. in considerable. detail, it. will bef understood that the description is intended. to 4be illus-- trative, rather than restrictive, as many details of ther structure may be modilied or` changed without departing from the spirit or scope of our invention. Accordingly, we do not desire tobe restricted to the exact construe-- `tion described.

We claim:

1. A loose leaf binder comprising aYV top and bottom post retaining` member, said postv retainingy members having a plurality ofapertures,'each of said apertures being aligned vertically with an aperture ofsaid ohter member, a exible sheet retaining post extending through each yof said pairs of vertically alignedfapertures, each of said postshaving an enlarged head-adjacent the lower surface o-f said bottom post retaining member, said lower surface being concave, said post heads being each disposed. between edge portions of enlarged thicknessv depending belo-w the plane of said post heads, said ytop post retaining memberhaving a longitudinal recess in its upper surface, a groove extending laterally from each longitudinal edge of'saidV recess alongthe entirelength of saidrecess intermediate its depth, a pairoftop cover plat-es fitting in said recess in longitudinal alignment, a lateral ange along each longitudinal edge of said cover plates, saidl anges being slidable in said grooves; al lip extending downwardly from the outer end loffeach of said top cover plates to facilitate sliding movement thereof, a stop member adjacent each endV of said re'- cess, and -a tab folded inwardly against the'underside of each of' said top cover plates at the inner end thereof, the free end of'each ofsaid tabs p-roviding a shoulder adapted to cooperatewith each of said stop members to prevent removal of said top coverfplates 4from said recess.

2. In a loose leaf binder, a post retaining member havlmg a longitudinal recess in its top surface, a pair of apertures spaced inwardly from the ends of said recess, a plate rigidly secured in said recess adjacent each of said apertures, a lip extending upwardly from each of said plates, each of said lips being positioned between the adjacent aperture; andthe end of. said recess, eachof said llps terminatingin a plane below andqadjacent the plane of the top surface of said post retainingmember, and a pair4 of top cover plates -slidable in `said,recess,.each of said` top cover plates having a shoulder on its underside engageable with one o-f `said lips to prevent removal of said top cover plate from said post .retaining member.

3. In a loose leaf binder, a post retaining member-having-a longitudinal recess lin its top surface, a pair ofaper.- tures-spaced' inwardly from the ends of said recess, a

plate rigidly secured in said recess adjacent each of said apertures, a lip extending upwardly from each of said plates, each of said lips being positioned between the adjacent aperture and the end of said recess, each of said lips terminating in a plane below and adjacent the plane of the top surface of said post retaining member, a groove extending laterally from each longitudinal edge of said recess intermediate its depth, a pai-r of top cover plates, flanges extending laterally from each longitudinal edge of said top cover plates, said anges slidably fitting in said grooves, and a stop member on each of said top cover plates engageable with said lips to prevent removal of said top cover plates from said post retaining member.

4. A loose leaf binder comprising a top and bottom post retaining member, said post retaining members having a plurality of apertures, each of said apertures being aligned vertically with an aperture of said other member, a flexible -sheet retaining post extending through each of said pains of vertically aligned apertures, each of said posts having an enlarged head adjacent the lower surface of said bottom post retaining member, said lower surface having edge portions depending below the plane of said post heads, a longitudinal recess in said top post retaining member to receive the upper ends of said sheet retaining posts, top cover plates slidable in said recess to hold the upper ends of said posts below the upper edge of said top post retaining member, the total overall length of said top cover plates being substantially equal to the length of said recess, and means to prevent removal of said top cover plates from said recess.

5. A loose leaf binder comprising a top and bottom post retaining member, said post retaining members having a plurality of apertures, each of said apertures being aligned vertically with an aperture of said other member, a flexible sheet retaining post extending through each of said pairs of vertically aligned apertures, each of said posts having an enlarged head adjacent the lower surface o-f said bottom post retaining member, said lower surface having edge portions depending below the plane of said post heads, said top post retaining member having a longitudinal recess in its upper surface, a groove extending laterally from each longitudinal edge of said recess intermediate its depth, a pair of top cover plates fitting in said recess in longitudinal alignment, a lateral flange along each longitudinal edge of said cover plates, said flanges being slidable in said grooves, a stop member adjacent eac-h end of said recess, and a second stop member permanently ixed to the underside of each of said top cover plates, said last mentioned stop members being interengageable with said lirst mentioned stop members to prevent removal of said top cover plates from said recess.

6. A loose leaf binder comprising a top and bottom post retaining member, said post retaining members having a plurality of apertures, each of said apertures being aligned vertically with an aperture of said other member, a flexible sheet retaining post extending through each of said pairs of vertically aligned apertures, said top post retaining member having a longitudinal recess in its upper surface, a groove extending laterally from each longitudinal edge of said recess intermediate its depth, a plurality of top cover plates fitting in said recess in longitudinal alignment, said plurality of top cover plates including at least two outer top cover plates adjacent opposite ends of one of said post retaining members and an intermediate top cover plate positioned vbetween said two outer top cover plates, frictional means for holding the intermediate top cover plate in substantially xed position, a lateral flan-ge along each longitudinal edge of t-he outer cover plates, said flanges being slidable, in said grooves, a lip extending downwardly from the outer end of each of said outer top cover plates to facilitate sliding movement thereof, and interengageable stop members adjacent each end of said recess and on the underside of each of said outer top cover plates at the inner end thereof to prevent removal of said top `cover plates from said recess.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 680,349 Northcott Aug. 13. 1901 1,410,000 Dawson Mar. 21, 1922 1,850,376 Brennan Mar. 22, 1932 

1. A LOOSE LEAF BINDER COMPRISING A TOP AND BOTTOM POST RETAINING MEMBER, SAID POST RETAINING MEMBERS HAVING A PLURALITY OF APERTURES, EACH OF SAID APERATURES BEING ALIGNED VERTICALLY WITH AN APERTURE OF SAID OTHER MEMBER, A FLEXIBLE SHEET RETAINING POST EXTENDING THROUGH EACH OF SAID PAIRS OF VERTICALLY ALIGNED APERTURES, EACH OF SAID POSTS HAVING AN ENLARGED HEAD ADJACENT THE LOWER SURFACE OF SAID BOTTOM POST RETAINING MEMBER, SAID LOWER SURFACE BEING CONCAVE, SAID POST HEADS BEING EACH DISPOSED BETWEEN EDGE PORTIONS OF ENLARGED THICKNESS DEPENDING BELOW THE PLANE OF SAID POST HEADS, SAID TOP POST RETAINING MEMBER HAVING A LONGITUDINAL RECESS IN ITS UPPER SURFACE, A GROOVE EXTENDING LATERALLY FROM EACH LONGITUDINAL EDGE OF SAID RECESS ALONG THE ENTIRE LENGTH OF SAID RECESS INTERMEDIATE ITS DEPTH, A PAIR OF TOP COVER PLATES FITTING IN SAID RECESS IN LONGITUDINAL ALIGNMENT, A LATERAL FLANGE ALONG EACH LONGITUDINAL EDGE OF SAID COVER PLATES, SAID FLANGES BEING SLIDABLE IN SAID GROOVES, A LIP EXTENDING DOWNWARDLY FROM THE OUTER END OF EACH OF SAID TOP COVER PLATES TO FACILITATE SLIDING MOVEMENT THEREOF, A STOP MEMBER ADJACENT EACH END OF SAID RECESS, AND A TAB FOLDED INWARDLY AGAINST THE UNDERSIDE OF EACH OF SAID TOP COVER PLATES AT THE INNER END THEREOF, THE FREE END OF EACH OF SAID TABS PROVIDING A SHOULDER ADAPTED TO COOPERATE WITH EACH OF SAID STOP MEMBERS TO PREVENT REMOVAL OF SAID TOP COVER PLATES FROM SAID RECESS. 